Earlier today we published a post about politics.
After careful consideration, we have decided to take down the post – as a result, all the comments linked to the post are removed as well as they were attached to the article.
Chandler’s Ford Today aims to be a local community site, where we share local stories, history, events, and non controversial issues.
In the past few years we occasionally shared interesting / weird stories unrelated to Chandler’s Ford. One article was about Doctor Who, for example. Some were about travelling to far-flung places.
We’ll continue to share local news as our main priority. Please continue to share and celebrate all about Chandler’s Ford.
Everybody who writes or works on the website does it voluntarily (i.e. No one gets paid). We are all doing our best, and like you, most of us also work and have other commitments in life. We welcome more contributors to help us make this a better website.
Thank you for commenting and reading. Thanks to all committed writers and contributers – current and past.
Thank you for sharing your thought and your continuous support to Chandler’s Ford Today. Let’s work together to make it a better, stronger website.
I liked what Mike wrote. We all need something thought-provoking whether we agree with it or not. And one of the replies it provoked was spot on.
Rick,
I like the fact that people are passionate about their views. I also like thought-provoking articles. I agree with most people that the main purpose of this website should be about local news and history. Your history series about your grandmother is a fine example.
Agree with your decision Janet , agree with the views expressed or not there are other more suitable places to post such thoughts keep it to local news events and history .
I think you are being inconsistent. In the past you have allowed posts on political and controversial subjects, for example:
David Lamb – Camels, Smallpox, Big Cats, Wolves and Philosophy (28/1/19) and Have you ever thought how much happier the world would be without disease, war and crime (Feb 19)
Mike Sedgwick – What did Jesus look like (25/11/18)
Freedom (6/2/19)
Sri Lankan Bombings (2/5/19)
Elections and Politicians (27/5/19).
Why are you now deciding that these types of post are not appropriate for this site? Was it because of the comments Mike’s post evoked (which I have been unable to see)?
I agree with Rick Goater.
Perhaps you will reconsider your decision.
Hi Mary,
You’re right – we had published many posts with political discussions before.
However moving forward I think I would prefer this site to stay local, as best we could. It means that we need to get more help to get out there to explore local news / history to share and engage.
Political arguments can be stimulating and also divisive – I do not wish to spend our limited time and energy managing these, however worthy they might be. It’s best we keep our hearts on Chandler’s Ford related events and history. There’ve been lots of changes in Chandler’s Ford and we need to capture these developments.
We’re having a new Chandler’s Ford history series coming up soon – this has taken both the writer and editor weeks to produce and we aim to publish the series in the next few weeks. Behind the scenes we sometimes get very busy and I can’t thank our writers and editors enough for making great efforts in selflessly sharing local history.
Roger took the words right out of my mouth …
Keep up the good work please Janet
Thank you Doug. Hope you are keeping well, and thank you for your support from Australia. We’re still working on the research that you requested about the Rookwood Maternity Nursing Home – I hope we have some news for you soon, but it may take some time.
For those who have information or photos about the Rookwood Maternity Nursing Home, please stay in touch and we could put a new post about this.
It is hard to keep politics out of discussion, whether about literature, ancient kings and queens, local news or the way things are done in Chandler’ Ford, contrasting its past with life here in the present.
The origins of the word ‘idiot’ are bound up with the Ancient Greek word ‘Ιδιώτης’ which referred to a man who would only deal with his personal affairs and not with politics.
The difficulty lies in dealing with political arguments which are selective, primarily ad hominem, promoting over used arguments from the mainstream parties which invite hostile exchanges from rival supporters. They are best screened out. Passionately held beliefs should be welcome, but not too often.
Hi David,
You have great points here. Thanks – I have now learnt something new about the origin of ‘idiot’! It’s not too bad being an ‘idiot’ after all.
I agree with you that it’s difficult to deal with certain political arguments – dealing with political arguments has never been the purpos of this website, when I set it up in 2013. Like what many readers suggested recently, I believe there are other websites which are built for political debates, and this website might not be the right platform.
Ultimately I think most people would prefer this website keeps its heart on local events, though we do share lots of general topics of interest. We’ll do our best to keep this website that way, and keep it relevant.
Well “You can please some of the people all of the time ,you can please all of the people some of the time but you can’t please all of the people all of the time ” was it Bob Dylan or a politician said that .
Look forward to the new series Janet ,have been a little incapacitated recently but am delving into my memory and hope to get a few more snippets from my early life in Chandler’s Ford soon .
I for one appreciate your efforts and everyone behind the scenes for what they do what goes on now and what happened in the past long lost friends back in touch with me all of which would not have happened
Thank you .